Music stands and lecterns

Take a good acoustic screen it should designed to deflect the sound waves away from the ears of the musician and not absorb sounds, the audience should hear the pure sounds.

The Opera stand is unique. It was designed from the ground up as an illuminated stand. The advantage this gives it is that every Opera stand lamp is designed specifically to work with the stand. The lamp is held at the right distance from the music tray, and yet is fully adjustable. The light output is carefully controlled so that it falls on the score and nowhere else. The cable is fully managed all the way down to the ground. Storage is provided for excess cable. And the weight, rigidity, and centre of gravity of the stand are matched to the requirements that a lamp imposes.

But the Opera stand’s uniqueness does not stop with the lamp. Every detail has been thought through to its logical conclusion. Its offset stem enables the musician to sit comfortably without the stem interfering with his feet. The stands can be nested for compact storage, without having to remove the lamps and without the need for a storage cart. It has an exceptional range of height adjustment. And its thick nylon coating is the toughest available.

There is as much variation in the design and quality of music stands as there is in the musical instruments themselves. I might hear you ask, "What is the connection between a cheap violin and a Stradivarius?" - The answer is, they both make sound. So, what is the similarity between the mass produced music stand made of strip steel and a finely engineered product made of real grain wood or extruded aluminium? They both hold music. But in terms of the materials from which they are made, the application for which they are intended, the venues where they are used, the value they provide over the years and above all their looks, they are as different from each other as cheap is to Stradivarius

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RAT Stands

Concert Conductor's Stand
This particular one from RAT Music Stands is ideal for performances in lit venues, using all but the largest scores. Its design matches that of the Concert stand. Two tray sizes: 65cm wide x 45cm (25.5" x 17.5") deep or 86 cm wide x 34 cm deep (34" x 13.5"), excluding pencil tray area The tray is made of lacquered, beach veneered mdf with solid beach lip Height to mid point of tray adjustable from 84cm to 156cm (33" - 61") Nylon coated base never chips, Solid base for stability and thumb screw height locking. The Opera conductor’s stand has a tray large enough for the biggest opera score. Its elegant, minimalist design and very slim lamp ensure that the musicians get the best possible view of the conductor. The lamp can be folded under the tray if not required. And its powerful light is carefully controlled to avoid dazzling the audience.

Tray size 97cm wide x 47cm (38" x 18.5") deep . Available with Classic or wood tray. Height to mid point of tray adjustable from 81cm to 135cm (32"-53") . Lamp incorporates 4 x 20W tungsten halogen bulbs . Available with or without lamp . Nylon coating makes the stand a pleasure to touch, and unlike other coatings never chips

The Jazz stand is a professional quality music stand with a full range of height adjustment, industry standard stability, and a full size music tray with pencil shelf. And yet, as a result of its unique and patented design, it folds in three moves to a flat pack no larger than the size of the tray, and under 5cm thick. It does this with no knobs, no finger traps, and no hassle; just three easy moves.

When standing, the height of the Jazz stand is adjusted by raising or lowering it to the desired height and leaving it there. Its patented friction joints ensure that it stays at the right height. Likewise, the tray stays at whatever angle you set it.

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RAT Stands

The standard Lectern shown here can additionally be tailored by RAT Stands to your specific requirements.

Available with Classic or wood tray
Wiring facilities for lamps and microphones can be built-in
Technical Specifications

Height measured from floor to lower edge of desk adjustable between 95 and 110cm (37.5 and 43")
Tray size 50 x 33cm (20" x 13")
Weight of stand 3.7 kg (8lb 2oz), Pro version 5.5kg (12lb 2oz)
All steel construction

The Opera stand is unique. It was designed from the ground up as an illuminated stand. The advantage this gives it is that every Opera stand lamp is designed specifically to work with the stand. The lamp is held at the right distance from the music tray, and yet is fully adjustable. The light output is carefully controlled so that it falls on the score and nowhere else. The cable is fully managed all the way down to the ground. Storage is provided for excess cable. And the weight, rigidity, and centre of gravity of the stand are matched to the requirements that a lamp imposes.

But the Opera stand’s uniqueness does not stop with the lamp. Every detail has been thought through to its logical conclusion. Its offset stem enables the musician to sit comfortably without the stem interfering with his feet. The stands can be nested for compact storage, without having to remove the lamps and without the need for a storage cart. It has an exceptional range of height adjustment. And its thick nylon coating is the toughest available.

Available with Classic or wood tray. Wood tray is formed in one piece from natural birch and stained to the colour of beech

Stands nest, with or without lamps, for compact storage

Picture Courtesy of
RAT Stands

What every school needs is an unbreakable stand, which nests for compact storage, and which has no knobs to fiddle with or get lost. The Performer delivers this and more, with rubber feet to protect the floor, an extra lip on the music tray for pencils and erasers, and a base designed to enable stands to nest next to each other for compact storage. But it goes one big step further. At 72 cm its closed height is nearly 25% less than comparable stands, which means you can store it away where other stands don’t fit. In an average height room you could even store Performer stands on three layers of shelves

The Studio stand offers the benefits of the Opera stand without the overheads associated with the need for illumination. It is great for musicians. They can swing their legs without kicking the stem. The same high quality friction joint as used in the Opera stand keeps the tray at whatever angle it is set – there is no need to fiddle with a knob. It is great for the staff. Its low weight and nestable design enable large numbers to be added or removed from the stage at speed and without the need for storage carts. And its slender polished metal perfectly complements the instruments which play at it.

Available in black epoxy coating or chrome (shown)

Stands nest for compact storage

technical specifications

All steel construction. All joints welded
Weight of stand 3.7kg (8lb 2oz)
Height measured from floor to lower edge of score adjustable between 62 and 127 cm (24" and 50")
Tray size 51 x 37 cm (20" x 14.5")

Picture Courtesy of
RAT Stands